Welcome to DATAMP!

The DATAMP project is a cooperative effort of the OldWWMachines
and OldTools mailing lists. It is intended to be a clearinghouse
for information on antique tool and woodworking machine patents,
allowing collectors of these tools to easily find information
about the history of tools and trades.

The information in DATAMP is gathered from the United States Patent
and Trademark Office (USPTO)
online database by a group of volunteer
"Data Stewards" from the OldTools and OldWWMachine lists. Each
steward is responsible for finding and documenting patents related
to a particular type of tool or machine, as well as maintaining the
DATAMP records in his area of expertise.

Our database is only as good as our volunteers. There are currently 52,837 patents in our database, but there are thousands more patents of interest that await a
volunteer to enter the patent information. If you would like to volunteer to help,
please contact us! All you need is an interest in old tools or machinery. Previous
experience in researching patents is useful but not necessary. All information can
be entered via simple web forms. All U.S. patents are already available online, and
you need merely transcribe the information into our web form, add manufacturer
information and comments (if any), and upload suitable photographs and patent images.